As Home Prices Soar, VA Lender Says Military Borrowers Need More Help

The team at ClearPath Lending, a VA home loan origination firm whose mission is to serve the housing finance needs of America’s Veteran and active-duty military families, celebrated Veterans Day by thanking the millions of men and women who have served the country and calling on the industry to do more for these heroes.   

“We are proud to recognize our active-duty families and families of Veterans who have given so much to protect our freedom,” said ClearPath Director of Operations Adam Mercado,. “As we salute those who have sacrificed so much for their country, we call on our colleagues in the mortgage industry to do more to help Veteran and military families achieve the American Dream of homeownership.”

While today’s hot housing market and soaring home prices are creating additional wealth for Veterans who are homeowners, those who are looking to buy a home are finding it more difficult than ever. In addition to challenges affording a home, many first-time military borrowers must compete with multiple offers on a property. 

Active-duty borrowers must also endure unique challenges as a result of the military lifestyle, including frequent moves that place one spouse in charge of the household. These types of situations can put a strain on credit scores and place a home loan out of reach.

As a U.S. Marine Veteran, Mercado is well aware of these challenges, which is why the ClearPath team works with borrowers in special situations, sometimes granting approval for borrowers with credit scores as low as 500. 

ClearPath has also poured more resources into helping military borrowers. In 2014, the company made a strategic shift to focus on government mortgage programs. It then improved the loan process by intelligently breaking it down into segments and creating a radically enhanced “turbo” version of ICE Mortgage Technology’s origination platform. Today, each loan origination employee is supported by four operations employees. As a result, more than 90% of the loans ClearPath locks are funded.

To help military borrowers while delivering an excellent customer experience, Mercado says he relies on his own time in the military, noting the Marines taught him the power of perseverance. While in training, Mercado remembers being completely worn out one morning from the grueling regimen he had been maintaining. As his instructor woke him and his colleagues and told them to get started, he was sure he couldn’t. But he knew he had to persevere—and did. 

“So, when a military family who has struggled through multiple moves as their loved one was deployed finds it difficult to buy a home, my training gives me the ability to help them overcome obstacles so they have a better chance at being approved,” Mercado said. 

“Americans enjoy freedom thanks to the sacrifices of active and Veteran servicemembers – some who have made the ultimate sacrifice,” he added. “Helping military borrowers into a home is a great way of saying thanks.”